Rutgers law professor on police reform and Congress' limitations in creating change locally

Alexis Karteron, a professor of law and director of the Constitutional Rights Clinic at Rutgers University, joins "Closer Look" to discuss renewed calls for police reform and her latest op-ed written in response to the police killing of Tyre Nichols. (Photo Courtesy of Alexis Karteron)

Alexis Karteron, a  professor of law and the director of the Constitutional Rights Clinic at Rutgers University, says local and federal governments need to pay attention to what’s happening with American policing.

“The federal government doesn’t have the authority to directly regulate all American police departments,” said Karteron on Friday’s edition of “Closer Look.”

Karteron further explained that the federal government can’t mandate police departments to take a certain action, but they can ban actions like chokeholds and require police departments to follow the ban if they want to receive federal funding.



“With legislation like this, there’s going to be holes,” explained Professor Karteron. “They’re going to be police departments that say, ‘you know what I don’t want your federal money. I want to run my police department. I don’t want to abide by the conditions that you are opposing on me.’”

During the conversation, Karteron talked with show host Rose about renewed calls for police reform, her latest op-ed written in response to the police killing of Tyre Nichols and how local government can provide oversight for police departments.

“Policy alone is not enough to fix things,” said Karteron.